{"id":3371,"date":"2020-01-23T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=3371"},"modified":"2025-09-22T13:43:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:43:24","slug":"job-demand-10-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/job-demand-10-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Jobs Will Be In Demand In The Next 10 Years?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the work landscape across all industries, worldwide. The World Economic Forum reports that this could see the displacement of 75 million jobs due to the adoption of new technologies and structural changes in the labour market.1<\/sup> However, it\u2019s not all doom and gloom, as the simultaneous emergence of 133 million new jobs has also been predicted.2<\/sup> The key is to carve a career path that takes advantage of these technological changes but can\u2019t be replaced by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2030, roles in office support, food service, production and machine operations, and mechanical installation and repairs will have all but disappeared in the US,3<\/sup> with similar trends happening in South Africa and the rest of the world. The jobs that will continue to be in demand include health professionals, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) specialists, creatives, managers, and those in education or workforce training.4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also expect a rise in jobs that don\u2019t exist yet to meet new or growing needs, such as climate change and environmental issues, or to cater to the longer life expectancy of the global population. Imagine a career change to become a solar power or wind turbine specialist,5<\/sup> or reinventing yourself as an urban farmer.6<\/sup> Those are recognisable professions with a niche twist, but there are predictions that future roles such as AI psychologist, drone manager, or a quantum data analyst will also exist.7<\/sup> There should also be significant growth in health and wellness professionals that can assist in taking care of an aging population, keeping everyone fit and healthy, and offering the special care and bedside manners missing from machines and robots.8<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you building in-demand skills for the jobs of the future?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s impossible to predict the future course of each and every job in the workplace, there are certain capabilities that can help safeguard your future career if not your current role. Tech and finance skills<\/a> will still be in high demand,9<\/sup> but there\u2019ll also be a need for soft skills that cannot be automated. These include emotional intelligence for communication and conflict resolution; critical thinking, problem-solving and innovation; and even basic social skills, such as friendliness and the ability to make small talk.10<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\nFIVE SKILLS YOU\u2019LL NEED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS<\/a>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Before you start to map out your 10-year career goals, it helps to understand these workplace changes and what forces will have the biggest impact on organisations. Then you can adapt that plan to get yourself job-ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five fundamental forces affecting the professional landscape of the future:11<\/sup><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Organisational rearrangement will change job demand<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Organisations will become more flexible and transparent, with a focus on project-based relationships and business sustainability. Leadership will become more horizontal and shared as increased social and external collaborations break down the traditional hierarchical model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important job roles:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n